Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, my friends!
Today is the first day of summer…and what could be a more perfect selection for our picture book review? Here’s a story about bears and summer and…well, you’ll find out. Plus, to celebrate the summer solstice and the launch of this adorable book (July 1, 2019), the author, the lovely Lydia Lukidis, is offering a Picture Book Manuscript Critique as a giveaway! What a fabulous prize!
NO BEARS ALLOWED
Written by Lydia Lukidis
Illustrated by Tara J. Hannon
Published by Blue Whale Press (2019)
Ages: 4-7
Themes: Overcoming fears, friendship
Synopsis: From Amazon:
“Rabbit is afraid of many things, but most of all he’s afraid of gigantic, monstery, BEARS! The very nervous Rabbit is soon confronted by his worst fear who appears to be far more interested in making new friends than causing Rabbit any real harm. Despite his apprehension, Rabbit agrees to join his jovial new acquaintance for dinner, but wait a minute . . . is Bear planning to “have” Rabbit for dinner? In this tender story about a very nervous rabbit and a lovable bear, Rabbit discovers that things aren’t always as scary as they seem, and sometimes you may just have more in common with others than you think.”
“Tara J. Hannon’s whimsical, fun, colorful drawings enhance a fine picture book story highly recommended for either independent pursuit by ages 4-7, or read-aloud pleasure.” — D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“This adventure offers an effective brain exercise in graphic storytelling for young readers. . .” — Kirkus Reviews
Why I love this book:
- Love the refrain about the pointy teeth and sharp claws
- Love the humor
- Love the simple message of friendship helping to conquer fears
- Bold, bright kid-friendly illustrations will have children turning the pages
RELATED ACTIVITIES
Photo courtesy: https://www.craftymorning.com/paper-bag-bear-puppet-kids-make/
I think you all know how much I love paper bag crafts…inexpensive and so easy for the little ones to work with. For detailed instructions: https://www.craftymorning.com/paper-bag-bear-puppet-kids-make/
For more information about this talented author, please visit: http://lydialukidis.com/
And remember, Lydia is giving away a picture book critique…which is AWESOME! Just leave a comment below…and don’t forget the best way to let our favorite authors know how much we love their books is to: buy their books, review their books on Amazon, Goodreads, and other review sites, tell friends about the books, and ask our libraries to purchase copies for their collections.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you Vivian for showcasing No Bears Allowed. Love the characters Rabbit and Bear. Can’t wait to get my hands on Lydia’s book.
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This book looks adorable. Congrats, Lydia. Thank you, Vivian!
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Thanks for the review, Vivian. “No Bears Allowed” sounds like a fun friendship book!
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Looking forward to reading this fun book!
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Looking forward to reading this!
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Sounds like a perfect read with little ones this summer!
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This book looks like such a fun read! I love the idea that Rabbit thinks Bear might be planning to “have” him for dinner!
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Haha that’s what grabbed me too! Love this idea and Tara’s art is so amazing, I bet it makes it even better! Thanks Vivian for the great book highlight and Lydia, thanks for an awesome book!
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NO BEARS ALLOWED looks adorable! I’m looking forward to reading it. Thanks, Vivian. And congratulations to Lydia and Tara!!
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I am so happy to see Rabbit and Bear EVERYWHERE. Best of luck to them (and Lydia) on their journey! Thanks for this wonderful forum, Vivian!
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Aw, thanks 🙂
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This looks adorable and I love Tara Hannon’s illustrations! Congratulations to Lydia and Tara!
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I can’t wait for this book’s release! Many children will relate to the fear Rabbit feels.
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Ohhh. This book sounds fabulous. Thanks for sharing the lovely review.
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I can’t even say how often kids avoid making friends with someone because of their preconceived ideas about them. I have a feeling Rabbit and Bear are going to be best buds in this story of friendship.
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Very cute! I look forward to reading this book! Books about friendship are needed very much. Congratulations!
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Thanks Angie! Nice to see you here 🙂
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This looks like it would be a great mentor text for a manuscript I have with a worried character. Good luck with your launch!
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Kids love funny books, and I hope yours finds its way into their hands.
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Can’t wait to read! Looks adorable. Congrats, Lydia!
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Such a powerful, important message for kids to learn! I’ll be sure to check it out–thanks for sharing, Vivian! And thanks for writing, Lydia!
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A book that shows “Friendship” in all shapes and sizes is important for all of us to grasp. Thank you for sharing. I know my grandsons will love this one–they are infatuated with rabbits and bears.
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Thanks for the lovely post, Vivian! And thank-you all for stopping by 🙂
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It was my pleasure to host you and your new book, Lydia!
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This looks adorable! I love the message, and the illustrations look fantastic. Can’t wait to read it! Congratulations, Lydia and Tara!
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This looks like a great story. Congratulations! Please put my name in the drawing. Happy summer everyone.
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Such a cute idea for a picture book that many children will relate to in a fun way. The illustrations add to the charm! Congrats on your new PB, Lydia! Gotta be honest, I’d love to win the Picture Book Manuscript Critique! Enjoyed the blog post interview.
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Yesssss! I cannot wait to read this book! One of my stellar critique group Word Curd Nerds is the illustrator!!! Yay, Tara! And yay to Lydia for creating the text/story for Tara to embellish!
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Sounds cute! Look forward to the read!
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I love the premise of the story and cannot wait to read it! I also really like the idea of the reality not measuring up to the stereotype. Congratulations on being able to hold your creation in your hands!!
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Congratulations on your book! This sounds very cute!
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This looks adorable. Congratulations! Can’t wait to read it!
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Looks great! Can’t wait to read it!
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This looks adorable! I’m looking forward to reading it.
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Sounds great! Thanks for sharing, and congratulations!🎉
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Thanks for the post. 🙂
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What a fun story! I look forward to reading it!
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What a great idea for a picture book ! And congratulations ! I can see the kids being in suspense during the book ! I had rabbit once and I still feel guilty !!!
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Sounds like there is much to love in this book! Congrats Lydia and Tara!
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Congrats, I can’t wait to meet Rabbit and Bear! I love the idea, and the cover. Thanks for sharing!
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This look looks and sounds adorable! Congratulations! I can’t wait to read it!
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This looks like a lot of fun! Thank you for offering a critique to some lucky writer.
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I’ve been seeing a lot about this book recently. Looking forward to seeing it in person soon! 🙂
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This just sounds FUN! I’d love to win a critique, too. 🙂
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Hi Lydia! This book sounds so cute! I am working on a manuscript about a cycle that keeps worrying and can’t wait to get my hands on your book! Goodluck
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This book looks adorable. Thanks for sharing!
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Lydia, your book sounds so cute! I’ve got an “Aesop’s Fables’ book, retold and illustrated by Brad Sneed from 2003 and your’s will be added to my collection as your rabbit sounds as though he has enough imagination to create an enticing story, one that’s not covered in Sneed’s book. Congratulations to you and Vivian for posting this.
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Your book sounds adorable, congrats Lydia. Thank you Vivian.
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Congratulations, Lydia! What an excellent story idea for children who experience social anxiety. My 3-year-old gets nervous around strangers and in new places, so I will definitely be buying her this book. Also, thank you, Vivian, for the great craft idea. We will be making bear puppets soon 🙂
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